


of accidental burns and life-changing conversations

by stardustgirl



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: (Ok it’s a little more than implied lol), (but they might also both just be gay who knows), (or rather the prelude to one), Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Bisexual Zuko (Avatar), Campfires, F/M, Fluff, Implied Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Introspection, I’m sorry I’m not that good at writing Suki BUT I will get there I promise, Life-Changing Field Trips, M/M, OH YEAH SOMEHOW I FORGOT TO TAG THIS BUT, Pining, Post-100 Year War (Avatar TV), Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Reunions, Toph Ships It, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, i haven’t seen lok so it’s officially not canon for this oops, it’s the gaang at their annual get-together except Zuko missed the last one, request, so rip him, tbh idek, theyre probably napping back home lol, where are appa and momo?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:08:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24615040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardustgirl/pseuds/stardustgirl
Summary: It’s the Gaang’s second annual get-together since the war ended, and Zuko is still feeling a bit out of place in the group.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko
Comments: 5
Kudos: 414
Collections: Quote Prompt Memes





	of accidental burns and life-changing conversations

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [27twinsister](https://archiveofourown.org/users/27twinsister/pseuds/27twinsister) in the [quoteonlyprompts](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/quoteonlyprompts) collection. 



> I’ve recently opened up fic commissions in exchange for donations to certain BLM-related organizations (you can contact me through @thephantomvenice on Instagram or stardustgirl#0116 on Discord for more info if you’re interested) and someone made a donation in exchange for an ATLA fic with the prompt “The Gaang gathered together around a fire, sharing a meal, telling stories, etc.” Though it turned out slightly Zuko-centric (and Zukka-centric too, let’s be fair lol), I hope you like it!

A river flows silently nearby as Zuko finds a seat on the low stone bench Toph erected a few minutes ago, and immediately his mind starts to turn to the events that led them here, to this specific spot in this specific forest on this specific day. Those events could have, in theory, started at any point. His being crowned Fire Lord could have kicked them off just as easily as Katara healing him after the Agni Kai with Azula, but so, too, could his infamous “Hello, Zuko here” introduction—Sokka still won’t let him forget that incident; _Agni_ he can be annoying sometimes—have or, most likely, the invasion.

But, Zuko knows, they started years before even the invasion, back when he was thirteen and terrified and pleading.

Fath— _Ozai_ hadn’t given him mercy then. So, he had reasoned at the time, why would anyone else have?

That Zuko—the younger one, the one who wore his hair in a ridiculous phoenix tail and tried to tell himself Father ( _Ozai!_ ) would give him his honor back if he killed the Avatar—had been so, so wrong.

Sokka approaches as if on cue, clearing his throat. “Anyone else sitting here yet?” Zuko shakes his head, and the Water Tribe teen sits beside him on the bench. “So, Fire Lord: where’s the fire?”

Zuko raises a brow, shooting him a glance. “What fire?”

“You know, the campfire. Right there. In front of us.” Sokka nods to the bare earth before them, and Zuko’s brow shoots up even higher.

“I can’t just make a fire on dirt, Sokka,” he says dryly. “Fire needs kindling.”

He almost adds, _I would think you’d know that,_ but the comment seems a bit much for how distracted Sokka appears today. It also seems a bit more like his old self, the person he was before he decided to reclaim his _own_ honor. The other teen nods, getting to his feet.

“I’ll get some then. Be right back!”

He leaves before Zuko can offer to go with, so he remains on the bench, lost in his thoughts once more.

“Hey, Sparky, think you could help us with this tea?”

He looks over his shoulder to see Toph gesturing in his direction from where she and Katara are standing by the river’s edge. Nodding, Zuko gets to his feet, walking over to watch for a moment as Katara bends water into a kettle, filtering it as she goes. Aang kneels nearby, using a small gust of air to shunt the dust from the water back into the river.

“What do you need help with?”

“It’s not hot,” Aang says, frustrated. “I tried to bend it and stuff, but it’s kind of small, and—“

“I got it,” Zuko interrupts, kneeling as Aang scoots over. He closes his eyes for a moment, concentrating before blowing out a small, controlled stream of flame. He hears a yelp and opens his eyes again to see Katara yanking her hand away from the kettle and holding it to her chest. She grits her teeth, eyes squeezing shut even as Aang bends a sphere from the kettle’s supply of water and cools it, raising it to her hand.

“Sorry,” Zuko says the minute Katara’s eyes open. “I– I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have closed my eyes and I should’ve been checking to make sure—“

“It’s fine.” She smiles, and the part of him that still says he won’t ever be good enough for any of them tells him he doesn’t deserve it. She must see through his mask, however, because her smile falters slightly, and Katara gives his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Zuko, really. We all make mistakes.”

“Yeah, but….”

 _But_ your _bending can’t burn someone’s face off._ Your _bending isn’t the kind that gives someone a permanent scar._ Your _bending wasn’t the reason the Air Nomads got wiped out._

“Just calm down, Sparky. Katara’s fine. Her heart rate’s back to normal.”

Zuko inhales slowly, nodding. She’s okay. Just a small burn, and only for a second. She’s okay.

“It’s kind of funny, how a couple years ago you would’ve been trying to _actually_ burn us,” Aang says slowly, smiling at what’s clearly an attempt at a joke. Zuko shifts, uneasy, and once again someone else’s smile fades because of him. “Sorry, that probably wasn’t the best thing to say.”

“It’s fine.” It’s not, but the lie makes Aang happier, at least.

“Sorry I’m late, but I brought the rest of the food!”

The group turns to see Suki pushing through the trees, a harried expression on her face as she approaches and stops in front of them, bending to unload the supplies she brought with her.

“Here, let me help.” Katara reaches to help take something at the same time Aang does and the two bump heads, murmuring apologies.

“See, that’s what happens when you tell someone how you feel about them.”

Zuko almost jumps out of his skin, turning to see Toph too close for comfort. He’s _Fire Lord_ now, for Spirits’ sakes, and he’s _still_ getting scared by someone who calls him _Sparky._

He swallows hard, clearing his throat as quietly as he can before responding. “Yeah? And?”

“So...when are you gonna tell _him_ how you feel?”

His face flushes, and he swallows again, wishing it was later in the evening as he stammers out a response. “Tell _who?_ I don’t...I’m not....”

“Oh, you know _exactly_ who I mean, Sparky. Do I have to say his name?” she adds in a singsong tone. _By_ Agni _she’s impossible._

“I told you, I’m not—“

“Oh, there he is!”

“Sokka?” he calls, turning to the woods. The other Water Tribe teen, however, is nowhere to be found, and he realizes his mistake when Toph bursts out laughing.

“Shut _up,_ ” he growls, face now as scarlet as his clothes. She’s still laughing, though, and now he can feel the gazes of the rest of their little gang, too. _Great._

“Are you two...okay?” Katara asks, brows knitted together.

“I’m fine,” he lies again, at the same time Toph proudly crows, “He’s not.”

“...okay.” Katara clears her throat before gingerly picking up the kettle. “Is there a fire ready?”

“Sokka went to get kindling,” Zuko supplies.

“And I made a bench in the meantime!” Toph says, pointing.

The trees behind them rustle, and Zuko turns to see Sokka pushing through the treeline. He approaches the group, dumping the pile of brush in front of Toph’s bench before dusting his hands off. “Is everyone here now?” At his sister’s nod, Sokka smiles. “Good. Who brought the meat?”

* * *

Toph has to make another bench before they all have a seat, but somehow, even after she does, Sokka’s found a seat close enough to Zuko that the firebender’s sure his own heartbeat is audible. He’s already started the fire with his bending, but if he hadn’t he has a feeling that the way his face is burning up right now would set the kindling alight.

Sokka, for his part, either doesn’t notice or is kind enough not to comment. He still seems distracted, fidgeting with his arm wrappings and glancing from the fire to Zuko to Katara and back again. Zuko decides that, as much as he might have feelings for Sokka— _he doesn’t!—_ he wishes that Sokka was more decisive for the both of them.

In addition to their awkward dance, too, is an uneasy air that lingers like smoke among them. Zuko would break it, if he only knew how. But their shared violent history makes him reluctant to do so. Instead, he contents himself with choking down the scorching tea—provided by Uncle’s shop, of course—as fast as he can in an effort to stave off thoughts about a certain nonbender.

And then, Katara makes a comment on something—he doesn’t hear what—and Sokka’s saying, “You know, when _I_ was your age…” and Katara’s arguing back with him while Aang watches on. Suki and Toph are interjecting every few sentences—with Aang trying to preserve the peace by doing the same—and Zuko finally, _finally_ feels like they’re all still the same people, regardless of whether he’s Fire Lord or Katara’s some sort of diplomat now or Toph’s helping people get better accommodations in the Earth Kingdom. He feels at home.

He finds a spot to jump in, too, pointing out that _technically,_ they had gone to the Boiling Rock before Sokka’s birthday, so really Katara has a point in her favor here. That comment just inflames the discussion more, and he can’t help a slight grin.

And then Sokka breaks away from the argument, tapping Zuko’s shoulder. “I, uh...can I ask you something? Privately?”

Zuko nods, rising. He follows Sokka a couple of feet away from the fire—and into the rapidly darkening trees—before turning to him, crossing his arms.

“So, uh...I know being Fire Lord and all makes you pretty busy.”

He nods. “Yeah. It...sometimes it does.”

Sokka’s expression becomes harder to read as the evening grows darker. “Uh...and Aang and Katara are, y’know…” he says, gesturing vaguely back toward the fire.

“Yeah. I know.”

“And Appa and Momo are wherever Aang is and Suki’s helping the Warriors rebuild the Earth Kingdom and stuff and Toph’s helping Ba Sing Se get their act together, and– and I was supposed to lead the Southern Water Tribe, but then Aang had some vision that was talking about how to help rebuild the Air Nomads, so he was gonna have me go do some research at this weird library we found in the desert back when your sister was chasing us, so basically what I’m trying to ask is wouldyoumaybewannacomewithmetohelpsoI’mnotlonelyorwhatever?”

Zuko blinks, confused. “...what?”

Inhaling sharply, Sokka repeats himself, this time more slowly. “I guess I’m just trying to ask if you would maybe want to come with me to help me research so I’m not lonely, since it’s a long trip? I mean of course you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but I just remember you saying something about liking history and reading old scrolls and stuff and you’re kind of the only other person I know who likes that—besides Iroh, but he’s _your_ uncle or whatever so it’d be a bit weird to ask him—so I figured I’d ask you just in case but again if you don’t want to it’s completely fine! I get that don’t worry I—“

“Sokka, of course I would.”

Sokka’s rambling stutters to a halt. “Wh– what?”

“I said of course I’ll help.” Zuko smiles, barely able to suppress the sudden, overwhelming joy that someone would _want_ him to come along. Even after two years, it still feels surreal that he’s _wanted_ like this by anyone besides maybe Uncle. “I’d love to.”

“And you’re not...not too busy with ruling and Fire Lord-ing and all of that?”

Not too busy to take a little bit of time off, he thinks. The war’s been ended for a couple of years now, and while they’re still rebuilding, Zuko can afford to step away for a few weeks. “I can take some time off.”

The smile that splits Sokka’s face is worth it. “Great! And we can go whenever, like if you need to finish up things back home or whatever then that’s fine, just let me know when works for you.”

Zuko nods, and they stand in awkward silence for a moment before he clears his throat. “We should head back.”

“Yeah, yeah. We probably should.” Sokka gives a stiff nod in agreement before turning, leading the way back to the campfire. Nobody seems to have noticed their brief absence, thankfully, so they take their seats and look for an opportunity to jump back into the conversation.

Toph isn’t tricked as easily as the rest, however.

She elbows Zuko, hard, and he bites back a yelp before turning to shoot a glare at her. “How was _your_ life-changing field trip, Sokka?” she asks in a low voice, leaning across Zuko to the nonbender.

“We, uh, we haven’t left yet,” he says, and Zuko nods fervently. “No field trips yet.”

“None. Whatsoever,” Zuko agrees. Toph’s brow only shoots up higher.

“If you say so.” She shifts back to her original position before Suki says something inflammatory that draws Sokka into the discussion, Zuko following up with a fact he just made up about the virtues of sightseeing—not that anyone else needs to know that, of course.

It feels like it did back when they were still trying to stop Ozai from taking over, and Zuko allows himself to smile. After the stress of trying to keep his country functioning after giving up their colonies, he’s nearly forgotten what it’s like to let his guard down around anyone besides Uncle. And, oddly enough, he likes it.

As he takes a bite of one of the apples Suki brought, he realizes that maybe his life-changing field trip with Sokka (their second, he supposes, if a prison break with Suki can truly be counted as their first) will be just as calming. Now that none of his family is hunting him or any of his friends across the ends of the earth, that should make it easier.

And this time, if something _does_ go wrong, he has friends he can count on. It’s an unfamiliar feeling. But he’s okay with that.

**Author's Note:**

> This also definitely ended up over the bracket for the donation amount BUT it was fun and my first time writing Zukka so~
> 
> (Also I’m kind of tempted to do a sequel now too lol but we’ll see.)


End file.
